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Posts with tag art

Filed under: Fun, Time-Wasters, web 2.0

Get Artsy-Fartsy With Mr. Picassohead - Time Waster


Bored? Feeling creative? Why not head over to Mr. Picassohead and throw together a 5-minute masterpiece?

Mr. Picassohead is a simple Flash collage app that lets you put a cubist spin on drag-and-drop image creation. Pick a face, scale it just so, and then start adding your elements. It's ridiculously simple and yet somehow strangely gratifying.

Abstract shapes are included, and you'll need to make use of them to add color behind object like eyes and ears. Changing their color only alters the outlines. When you're all done, be sure to add your signature for that professional finishing touch.

If you're especially proud of your creation, you can save or email it. Impress your friends and family with your artistic genius!

While you're in an artsy mood, don't forget to check out the classic Jacksonpollock.Org, which we wrote about in 2006.

Filed under: Fun, Games, Macintosh

It's Cosmic man...it's on my Mac...whoah.

CosmicPainterDo you know those cool art spinning booths at festivals and carnivals? Of course you do, they're awesomesauce aren't they?

Well now thanks to CosmicPainter from garageCube you can bring that to your Mac OSX desktop, minus the carnies and smell of funnel cake (booooo).

CosmicPainter lets you make designs from different pre-set shapes and colors, as well as from other images you already have on your computer. You can really dig in with the shading and depth choices on the pallette and make some really rad shapes and designs.

Why would you want to use this? Because it's hella fun and free.

We sat in front of this thing for hours and got completely lost. But Chris Pirillo, the tipster who sent this in to us, warned us that we'd get sucked in...and we're pretty sure you will too.

[via chris pirillo]

Filed under: Design, Developer, Fun, Productivity

Lonely? Get some keyboard characters to keep you company

Lonely? Get some keyboard characters to keep you companyFeeling a little lonely as you type away on your keyboard? How about adding a little friend that you don't have to feed, water, or take outside for walks. Keyboard Characters simply slide into the keys of your keyboard and add a little color to your workspace.

Set 1 of the Keyboard Characters comes with 10 friends that include a monkey, robot, fish and a dragon. The price is a little steep at $9.95, but they are cute. The printing quality is supposedly pretty high at 300lpi with UV coating. The characters range in size, with exact sizes shown online under each preview image.

Filed under: Design, Developer, Fun, Internet, Beta, web 2.0

Create collages with Collagr

creating collages online with collagrFeeling a little creative but doesn't want to spend any time at all creating your masterpiece? Try Collagr. But keep in mind, you get what you pay for.

Collagr is a unique website that pulls in photos from Flickr accounts to build a quick photo collage. And 'quick collage' is the main phrase here. These are no Van Gogh or Picasso works here. Collagr simply pulls in photos from your account, no choosing folders, lines them up and drops them in a 1400x1025 pixel JPEG.

Although Collagr is still in its Gamma version, we would like to see a little more artistic feeling added to collages that are created. This site has the potential to make users happy, and in true artistic fashion left us feeling something, it's just that that something was a little unhappy with the piece that was created.

[via ehub]

Filed under: Design, Fun, Internet, Web services, Social Software

Free your inner artist with Sketchfu



Though it's possible that web-based drawing tool Sketchfu could be used for some kind of sensible business application, the truth is, it's just plain fun. Sketchfu lets you draw, doodle, and create your own sketches, or build on the drawings of others. There are dozens of colors to choose from and brush sizes range from tiny to the aptly-named "BIG." That's about all the site offers by way of tools at the moment but since Sketchfu is still in its infancy, expect more options to emerge over time.

What makes Sketchfu really spiffy, though, are the options available to you after you're done drawing your picture. Every brush stroke you make while creating your masterpiece is automagically captured and turned into a movie of sorts that shows step-by-step how your drawing came to life. Sketchfu also offers a few ways to share your illustration via email, StumbleUpon, Facebook, MySpace and even a few popular blogging platforms.

In true Web 2.0 community-building fashion, users can comment on and critique the pictures of other users and also vote them up to the "Most Cheered" page. Sketches at the site range from one writer's terrible attempt to try her hand at drawing, to some staggeringly awesome work by the truly talented folks of the interwebs.

Filed under: Design, Developer, Fun, Internet, Web services, Social Software

Make your own comics with HyperComics

comic book creator When creativity is snooping around inside your head, where can you go for an outlet? If you're into comics, then HyperComics could be your space.

HyperComics is a social network built around comics, naturally. It's a way to network with like minded comic book creators, and get in contact with industry resources. Members can showcase their original material and have other members discuss and comment on creations.

HyperComics uses a desktop application to build comics. It would have been nice if the software was available online, but hey, it could be nice to be able to work where there might not be a connection as well. The application is available for PC's only, and is a whopping 140 MB. So sit back with your favorite drink because this could take a while. When the 30 day trial wears out, the software is $29.99. Licensed comic art is also available on the website as free downloads, and from $2.99 - $9.99 per set. The art sets allow users to drag and drop all kinds of starter artwork, templates, and action imagery into their storyboards. Of course if you are a veteran, you can upload your own creations from scratch into one of the many layout templates. After the comic is made, upload it, publish, and unleash it to the world.

Aspiring comic creators might also want to check out StripGenerator.

Check out some HyperComic screenshots.

Filed under: Internet

Shoot an Iraqi artist (with paintballs) over the web

Domestic TensionFor the next six weeks, Wafaa Bilal will live in a small room in the back of Chicago's Flatfile Galleries. You can logon to watch him any time of day, seven days a week.

While Big Brother and Justin.tv have taught us that this alone might provide a few moments of diversion from the office cubicle, Bilal's stepped things up a notch. Not only can you chat with him or communicate via a webcam. You can also control a paintball gun that will shoot at Bilal -- even when he's sleeping.

What would have just seemed like an odd act of masochism takes on a new meaning when you consider the fact that Bilal was born in Iraq.

It's strange enough that video game addicts are now presented with the opportunity to shoot a real live human being using pretty much the same interface they would normally see when fighting fictional aliens. But the art installation is meant to raise questions of surveillance, obsession with guns, and the American occupation of Iraq.

Bilal has garnered a lot of attention already, so you might not be able to access the website right away, since the server is experiencing some strain. You can also keep up with Bilal's video diary on YouTube.

Read more →

Filed under: Design, Developer, Fun, Internet, Photo, Web services, Social Software

Picli, the Digg of photos

photo gallery, digg styleForget about all the text on Digg, this is all about pretty pictures. Picli is a social image voting gallery. Their system closely resembles your typical Digg / netscape / Reddit social voting system, with a twist, it's for pictures only. This interesting gallery twist to the social voting scene provides a constantly changing image gallery for showcasing creative work.

Users sign up for a free account and submit photos to be ranked and voted up. Users can also vote and comment on the photos of others, getting them up higher on the Picli list, and sharing insights and opinions. There are some great pieces of artwork displayed here, including fractal outputs, drawings, photography, and image manipulations.

Filed under: Finance, Fun, Internet, Web services, Social Software

MyThings, tell a story and get an estimate on your stuff

mythings, tell a story and get an estimate on your stuffDo you have some things that you would like to tell a story about and connect with people who have the same interests? Maybe even get an estimate of their worth? This is what MyThings brings to the table.

The site was originally developed as a service to track down stolen and looted artworks from World War II, but has since evolved into a separate social network where users can try and valuate the art and antiques of others. Carrying such items as consumer electronics, furniture, collections, or collectibles, MyThings encourages professionals to communicate with owners of the goods in question, giving the item an estimate of worth.

The site is great if you want to get a quick estimate on an item from a community setting. Is it just us, or does everyone think that social networks might be getting a little out of control?

[via webware]

Filed under: Business, Design, Developer, Windows, Macintosh, Adobe

Adobe CS3 to ship late spring

adobe cs3The springtime is full of growth, and that's no exception for the creative software market. Adobe has just dropped the news that it will be announcing Adobe Creative Suite 3 March 27th, 2007 in New York City, with the full product shipping later in spring 2007.

If you can't be there on site, you can also tune into Adobe's live webcast where they will reveal all of the new features and configurations. Adobe says that this will be the largest software release in their 25 year history. Could this new CS3 include all of the recently acquired Macromedia products like Flash? It currently does carry Dreamweaver in the 2.3 Premium CS package. Now that would make for a slamming package! I don't want to see the price tag for that one.

Filed under: Design, Fun, Games, Internet, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Web services, Freeware, Time-Wasters

Mr. Picasso Head - Today's Time Waster

Mr. Picasso HeadI like quick little time wasters that make me feel talented. Mr. Picasso Head like its namesake Mr. Potato Head allows you to choose from facial features like mouths, eyes, noses and ears, and create something unique. In Mr. Picasso Head, the set of features you have to choose from all resemble the types of minimalist strokes that you might associate with a Picasso.

I'm no art critic, alright?

Anyway, it's quick and easy to begin using it, and the results are strikingly Picasso-esque. Maybe I really do have some artistic talent! Probably not.

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Kids, Time-Wasters

ImageChef - Today's Time Waster

Do you want to play a game?ImageChef is a family-friendly site that allows you to create custom images for your blog, forum signature or general amusement. Without having to register any kind of account, you can modify text in a variety of image templates. The resulting pictures can be easily saved or emailed to friends.

ImageChef will host your pictures if you're a registered user (registration is free), and provide the snip-its of code so that you can embed your artwork in your MySpace, Friendster or TypePad account.

Though sometimes cheesy, the provided image templates do allow for some creative Tom Foolerly. If you find yourself wasting a lot of time, please feel free - no, encouraged! - to post a link to your creation via the comments.

Filed under: Audio, Design, Fun, Games, Internet, Kids, Text, Video, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Podcasting, Blogging, Web services, Freeware, Time-Wasters, Social Software

Exclaimable! Online social media content creation

Exclaimable

Exclaimable! is a brand new social media service that empowers users to create online media in the moment, then easily share it by embedding it on their own site, or sharing the URL, much like YouTube. Exclaimable uses Flash to allow users to create video, audio, drawings or simple text posts, all in an extremely intuitive and easy-to-use way. For example, all you need to create video on the site is a webcam and microphone – all of the configuration is done by the site.

ExclaimableThere are no file uploads to Exclaimable; the point of the site is to have users create their content right on the site. This pared-down approach makes Exclaimable both approachable and addictive. It's fun to set about the task of creating a new piece of online media, be it a picture or video, and drop the pressure of having to make it "perfect". Exclaimable lets you make something that's "good enough" right now.

The embedding feature enables any of the content types to be added to a user's web page, be it a blog, myspace account, or static html page. This could enable some users that might otherwise be intimidated by video editing tools to be able to create a video blog, simply by using Exclaimable's video capture and hosting functionality, and embedding the videos in their own blog.

There's also a content browser where you can view everyone's submissions filtered by medium and category, and rate them.

Filed under: Design, Fun, Windows, Open Source

Make beautiful fractal flames with Apophysis

Apophysis Flame FractalFractal flames are a particularly colorful and elegant breed of fractal. We've seen them previously in the beautiful Electric Sheep screensaver, but if you're feeling artsy and mathsy today you can make your own using Apophysis. It's an open source program for Windows that does fractal flames and fractal flames only. Getting started with Apophysis isn't too tough, but MS Paint it ain't. To really use the program to its fullest you're going to have to have to understand what a lot of numbers mean. Fractals are just math, after all. For that, you'll want to head to the Apophsys wiki where there's documentation, scrips and scripting reference, and links to tutorials. If you want to see what Apophysis is really capable of, check out this gorgeous gallery by Roger Johnston. Feel free to post links to your own galleries in the comments.

[Via TechRepublic via Negativesmart]

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Time-Wasters

JacksonPollock.org - Today's Time Waster

Always dreamed of being an abstract expressionist painter, but hate the idea of getting all that messy paint all over yourself? Well, fret no more! Now, thanks to JacksonPollock.org, you can be a Flash-based abstract expressionist painter! Don't you think if Jackson Pollock were alive today, he'd take advantage of the technology available to him?

Admittedly, JacksonPollock.org is a bit disconcerting at first. The site loads as a blank window, so you're confused to begin with. (Although you won't be, dear readers, since I've given you the heads up.) When you move your cursor anywhere within the browser window, a streak of "paint" is splashed across your virtual canvas. Each time you click, the paint changes color. And you don't have the luxury of picking up your "brush" and deciding where to place it next; oh no, that wouldn't be abstract enough.

Potentially, this can provide hours of amusement and artistic exploration. Just look at the masterpiece I created:
JacksonPollock.org
Worth about $2,000,000, wouldn't you say?

(Thanks, Niki!)

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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